The “first big snowstorm” of the winter expected Monday and which forecasts 15 to 30 centimeters of snow forces the closure of schools in the province, which disrupts the return to school which was planned after a start of classes in virtual.
The Montreal School Service Center has made the decision to close its establishments and no courses or distance learning are planned. At the Center de services scolaire de la Pointe-de-l’Île, all elementary and secondary schools, adult education and vocational training centers and daycare services will be closed. It will be a pedagogical day, without online classes.
The same goes for the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Service Center, where there will be no online lessons on Monday “since the school calendar provides for this class day to be resumed in the coming weeks”. The English-Montreal School Board has announced on Twitter that its schools will be closed due to bad weather.
According to a winter storm warning issued Sunday afternoon by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the storm will start strong early Monday. “Snow combined with strong northeasterly winds will reduce visibility to near zero in blowing snow over these regions,” it says. We warn that traffic on the roads and sidewalks will be complicated due to snow accumulation.
“Significant impacts” are thus expected on Monday rush hour travel in urban areas of the province, due to a rapid accumulation of snow.
“If people can avoid being on the roads when the snow and the winds are strongest, that would be a good idea,” insists Anna-Belle Filion, meteorologist for Environment Canada. CAA-Quebec also expects to receive a high number of towing requests on Monday, particularly in connection with getting stuck. “It is this type of service that is likely to be requested”, foresees the spokesperson, Andrée-Ann Déry.
Snow accumulations are expected in several regions of Quebec located along the St. Lawrence River, including Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière, Laurentides and Montreal.
Bad weather conditions will persist until the evening.
With Zacharie Goudreault